Flood-gate.



T. L. TATE.

FLOOD GATE. nrmouxol rus r'nn. a, m4.

Patented Sept 22, 191% l f l 'l 0 Q 23,

ll 4 WK Y L M Lr ZZ Tagmm MLM' itl

'EHOS "RATE, OEE STE'WARDQN, ILLINOIS, ASSGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN El.

, ERIESNEB, OF STRASBURG, ILLINOS.

FLOOD-GTE.

'I'o nl] w11 om it may concern.

lie it ltnown that l, Tnoaiaa L. Tara, citizen of the United States, resii'ling at tewardson. in the county of Shelby and State of illinois. have invented certain new and usenl lm n'ovements in Flood-(lates, of which the fol owing.;l is a specification.

'lhis invention relates to im irovcments in ilood gates, and has for one 4otl its objects to simplify and im irove the construction and increase the elliclency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed device which may be erectedover sloughs, creeks. or in like localities which are liable to be flooded during rainy seasons, and which will close such low places in d weather or when the Water is low. but which will be automatically opened at the times of flood and without damage to the device, and will be automatically re- -etored to operative position when the Water recedes to the normal level.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construct-ion as hereinafter shown'and deecribed and then specifically pointed out in the claims; and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention Figure l is a perspective View of the improveirdevice appliei. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the lino 2-2 of Fig 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Gln-responding and'like parts are referred to in the followiiner description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

rlhe improved device comprises a sup or*- ingr frame including: side poets 10-11 aviniz an upper or header member l2 connected to the upper ends of the posts. The posts are designed to be inserted in the ground at the sides of the stream, Slough, or other locality, and will bc eiaccd apart a distance et ual to the width ci the stream or Slough. lrFlic supporting frame muv be of any required width and varied to conform to the width of the locality to be protected.

Devices oi this character are generally located in the lines of fencing, and in the improved device the fence structure, re re- :zcnted ctaif'cnt-ionally at 13, is connected to the oste 10-11 as chown. The frame mem re are connected and supported by Specification of Letters Patent. Application lecl ebrnery 3, 1814. Serial No. 316,307.

Patented Sept, 2g,

oblique braces 1lil5 which are recessed into the members lO-ll-l2 and extend for a considerable distance above the member l2 and ale lirmly connected at their up )er ends, as represented at lo. 'lhe braces dias perform the two-fold function of supports for the frame-work and likewise to receive guide pulleys t7 over which the releasing cords are conducted, as hereafter explained.

The gate portion ot the improved device comprises the vertical members lo, header member lll and a transverse supporting member 20, the latter beingr located a considerable dista-nce above the ower ends of the vertical members 18. The gate device is hingedly united to the member 12, preferably by coupled eye bolts as represented at 2l, so that the gate will swing freely from the member 12. At its upper end the gate bears against the lower ortions of tie braces yIll-1li and is there y limited` in its movement in one direction, or in the tip-stream direction of the creek or Slough. Pivoted at ".22 to the inner faces of the iosts l0-ll are catches 2.8 havinf` inwardly directed otl'aete 24 and incline( outer portions 25. The-catches are so disposed that when in vertical position the member .20 of the ,gat/e. bears against the oii'sets or shoulders 24, as represented in Figs. l and 8. By this arrangement. when the members .23 are in verltical position the trate in held from move ment toward the own-stream of the creclf` or Slough, while the braces let-15 hold it'. from movement up stream.

Extending toward the 11p-stream side of the frame member l2 is a bracket device 26, and pivoted at 2T in the outer end of the bracket. device is a pendulum-like member 28 extended laterally at its lower. end, as shown at Q9. The lower end 20 of the member 28 and the members 1S are substantially in alinement horizontally with the member 28 and spaced a considerable distance from the ,irate and its frame at the tip-stream side, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2. At its up ier end the member 2H extends for a consulerable distance above the pivot 27, and con nectcd to the upper end of the member 27 are cords or ca i es 30 which lead over the alleys 1T and thence over additional pulcya lll on the member l2 and thence to the outer end of the members QB to which they are connected at B2.

With a device thus constructed when the witter is low in the creek or Slough` the members 2S und 1S will lumer in vertieul osltion,

W'hile the Wuter flows beineutli them,t ie cords or eubles tt) holding,r the members Q3 in horizontnl position und locking: the gute member` 1S from movement either in un 1i)- etrenni or down-strenm direction. When the nnter ries to un'ubnormul extent the current tirst nets upon the enlarged end .29 of the member 2S und moves the lutter down stream .whirh movement will ouuse tbe u )por end of the member 28 to pull the cordis or eubles tit) towurd the up-ntreum end und elevute the members 2l-.l free from the member bt), thuis releuoingr thi` gute l8-ltl-20 und permitting it to be moved in u down-streum Llirevtion upon its hingen 2l und thus reventing,r the inereuse of the wuter or the t ood from injuring the rute or touring it loose from ituV `Supporte. When the water recedes .the member 28 `will uguin nomme its vertical position und releuee the members Q3 und restore them to their horizontal position, und the gute device in returning)7 to its vertical Mosition will` Lbeur ugnnst the inclined feces *o of ehe members :'38 und force the lutter outmirdly until .the member Q0 asses the nhoulder 2i und permits the mem ers 23 to return to their normal position. obvioue` that the members 23 must be c011- etrueted of resilient materiel which will yield to .the pressure applied thereto b the goto device in returning to its norma po- 'tstioIL i The improved device is simple in oonetruction, cnn be constructed of any required .eine or of any suitable materiel to oda t it to the width ofthe stroom or :dough to w lich it is to be applied ond likewise to the depth of the sume without material modification in [the construction.

"litho im noved device muy be constructed of :my suituble materiel, but will generirlly be constructed of wood, or partly of wood an und purtly of xneteil. i

Hnvingthus descri .ia ulnimed es new is:

l1. 1n un apperutusof the close desorb bed the inventommhat Copies Iof tht: patent muy to obtained for 'Weston It will 'bel u supporting frame including u transverse upper member, n gute device Ymounted to s'win f from suit'l'upp'e'r frnmememb'er in one direc ion, meunsfor holding Suid gute from mov'rliieiit uwuy from suid frumc, u bruelcet Aextent'ling from Suid upper frume member, n member movnbly engnginr Suid briielget und depe'ndirw therefrom una into position to be 'emulated -byqflovving witter, und connecting menne between Suid movable member und Suid gute holding means.

2.1m n devieeHof ,the cluss described, n supporting trume including vertieel eide members und u transverse heed member, `diugoliul brneee connecting the freine sido :members und the head member, n ete suepended from tbe heed member on limited in its movement by tho briices in one direction, n hatch device holding the gute ,from ,movement in the opposite direction, und

controlling device arranged tov e ectuetedby un ubnormul rise of wuter und cpnneeted ,to seid lutolideviee :rnd releagsing the neme und ,permitting the gute to swing in 4vtt@ ion.

3.111@ device of `the olo deficribeti, .e supporting frame, e gute mounted te wie@ vupon amd frame, e latch dei-we of rentrent finetprinl piyoted upon seid freine, seid latch .dorme buying im intermedie-ite goto omgooien offset ,und inotned lateral in edveece or the Oiaet, .whereby .the ge/te is held roei movement in one direction and canoes?. .te .automatically dnsphwe ,the latch device .e mist the resistentie of its reeileut portion .w ien returning to .eluted punition, n controlling device wronged t@ be oetiuetged by im .abnormal niet of Water end- .eonnim f met os .between the controlling m one, the otchvdvce and operating tere i bitch device without re'sibtunee from nl; allient portion of the Home.

I n tentimon whereof I etix my @igt-tintero 1n presence o two witnesses.

Levin RYAN,

T. H. BAUER.

vo cents oooh, by egreaeng the Commissioner or Entente, 

